PM Marković at PMQs: We responded decisively, jointly, effectively and responsibly to coronavirus pandemic

State institutions and the Government as a whole have shown a high level of knowledge, determination, responsibility and solidarity in responding to the coronavirus pandemic - Prime Minister Duško Marković said during the Prime Minister's Questions, stating that such an assessment came from many local and foreign addresses.

"Determination was expressed even before the virus was registered in Montenegro. In line with the recommendations of the health profession, we have begun preparations for the imminent scenario - that Montenegro won't be bypassed or spared by the novel coronavirus. We are the only country in Europe, and perhaps wider, that has made the decision to start implementing mandatory health and safety measures even before registered case in the country. These and the ensuing decisions have tangible results today: we have the lowest mortality rate in the region, a low incidence rate, a high cure rate, and an extremely high rate of citizens tested," said the Prime Minister in response to a question from Branimir Gvozdenović, MP of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro.

The Prime Minister said that on 31 January, the Public Health Institute had requested the Ministry of Health to establish a National Coordination Body to coordinate and manage the eventual emergence of the novel coronavirus in Montenegro, and that the National Coordination Body was formed immediately, on 3 February.

The Prime Minister said that no health system, no society, no economy were fully prepared for such a crisis.

"It was neither supposed that the virus would turn into an epidemic and a pandemic in this way, nor that its expansion would happen so quickly and abruptly. And especially - that the scientific public will not have the answers to some of the key questions even after a few months after the virus has emerged," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said that Montenegro had managed to preserve the elderly in nursing homes and patients in hospitals, and that so far almost no one else had done so.

"We have been able to reorganize the complete health care system to meet the needs without major obstacles and standstill, trying to provide medical services to everyone who really need it. For all that we have accomplished together on this occasion, alongside health care staff and all the institutions and services involved, I also express my gratitude to everyone else outside the administration system and the state apparatus. I would also like to thank the citizens who responsibly respected the measures and recommendations... All this has contributed to Montenegro being an example of the country with the most rights and freedoms in the face of this global pandemic. Example of the country that provides freedom of movement for people to the extent necessary. Example of the country where life continued without endangering the peace and civic dignity of the people and their families," Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the Prime Minister's Questions.

Recalling two Government packages of economic measures, the first of which is worth EUR 1.3 billion, the Prime Minister said that experts still don't know how long the pandemic will last, and that the Government is preparing more scenarios focused on protection of health and lives of citizens, as the highest values.

For full press release in Montenegrin please click here.